Lately it has become painfully apparent that our nation and our world is going further and further away from the principles that God laid out in his word. Not only that, but our nation is changing at such a rapid pace, that Christians who only recently were viewed as good, moral people are now being looked at as hateful, non-tolerant bigots. For several years I’ve read about persecution in other nations, but I felt confident that I wouldn’t experience what they have to go through in America. But as of late, I’m not so sure. Jesus tell us in John 7:7:

"The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil."

Jesus was talking to his biological half-brothers here. They didn’t believe that Jesus was the messiah, and were egging him on to make himself a public spectacle. But Jesus tells them that the world cannot hate them, likely because their ways agree with the world. But that it does hate Jesus because he testifies that the world’s works are evil. If we simply live a life for Christ in today’s world, by default we testify that its works are evil. And by doing so we, ourselves are hated. So I encourage you to be mindful of what it will cost you to call yourself a Christian now and in the days to come.

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In America it is becoming less and less popular to identify as a Christian. By just standing by our beliefs we will, and are, being looked at as a hate group and as such are being hated by the world. Jesus said that the world hated him because he testifies that its works are evil. With more and more sin being condoned - and even celebrated in our country, American believers will come face to face with being hated just for believing in Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, I pray that you remain strong in the faith, and respond to any hate directed at you only with love. Jesus never told us to fight fire with fire, but to respond to hate with love.